Acute attacks
Sudden attacks of hereditary angioedema.
Clinical trials
Studies that evaluate the effectiveness and safety of medications or medical devices before they are approved for use by the general public.
Ecallantide (e-KAL-lan-tide)
A protein made in yeast cells; ecallantide is the active ingredient in KALBITOR (ecallantide).
HAE
Abbreviation for hereditary angioedema.
Hereditary Angioedema
A rare, hereditary disease of the immune system that causes attacks of sudden swelling in various parts of the body.
KALBITOR Access®
KALBITOR Access is a program that provides support services to hereditary angioedema patients, healthcare professionals and caregivers. KALBITOR Access services include health insurance coordination, financial assistance for qualified patients, and treatment location set up.
KALBITOR CareSM
KALBITOR Care is a program offered by Dyax Corp. that provides comprehensive support services for KALBITOR patients. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, KALBITOR Care offers a complete array of patient services and resources, along with the support of healthcare professionals.
KALBITOR Home Infusion ServicesSM
KALBITOR Home Infusion Services is a program in which an experienced infusion nurse will administer your subcutaneous KALBITOR treatment in the comfort of your own home. This professional service is available to HAE patients, 16 years of age or older, who use KALBITOR to treat their sudden HAE attacks on demand. KALBITOR Home Infusion Services is not appropriate for treating laryngeal attacks.
KALBITOR® (KAL-bit-or)
A prescription medicine used to treat sudden attacks of hereditary angioedema in patients 16 years of age and older. KALBITOR® is not a cure for HAE.
Laryngeal attack
An HAE attack that affects the larynx (throat); this can block or close the airway, leading to difficulty breathing and, potentially, death.
Larynx
The part of the throat that contains the vocal cords and is used for breathing, swallowing, and talking.
On-demand treatment
On-demand HAE treatment is used to treat sudden attacks of HAE as they occur, in order to relieve symptoms associated with the attack. On-demand treatment is not used to prevent attacks from occurring.
Plasma kallikrein (kal'i-kre'in)
A protein in the body that triggers the release of a substance that may lead to hereditary angioedema attack symptoms.
Subcutaneous
Under the skin.
Trigger
In hereditary angioedema, something that causes an attack.
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When will the next attack occur? How bad will it get?

This is how HAE impacts your patients. Help them manage their condition by better understanding it.

Please see Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.

How Attacks Happen

Treatment Pathways in Acute Attacks of HAE10,12

  • Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare but potentially life-threatening genetic disorder of the immune system.
  • HAE is caused by low levels of improper functioning of a protein called C1 inhibitor, which is needed to help control the production of bradykinin in the inflammatory system.
  • Bradykinin is thought to be responsible for the HAE symptoms of localized swelling, inflammation, and pain that characterize acute HAE attacks in many areas of the body.
  • Plasma kallikrein cleaves high molecular weight kininogen, which in turn releases the production of bradykinin.

 

  1. Two molecules called high molecular weight (HMW) kininogen and prekallikrein join together in the blood. Prekallikrein is converted to plasma kallikrein by activated Factor XII (factor XIIa and factor XIIf) on the surface of blood vessels. Factor XII activation is increased by plasma kallikrein.14,15
  2. Plasma kallikrein then cleaves part of HMW kininogen, producing bradykinin.15
  3. Bradykinin then activates B2 receptors on the surface of the cells that make up the walls of blood vessels.11
  4. When activated, the B2 receptors cause the release of fluid, leading to swelling, inflammation, and pain.11,15
References
10 Gompels M, Lock R, Abinum M, et al. C1 inhibitor deficiency: consensus document. Clin and Exp Immunol. 2005;139:379-394.
11 Han E, MacFarlane R, Mulligan A, et al. Increased vascular permeability in C1 inhibitor—deficient mice mediated by the bradykinin type 2 receptor. J Clin Invest. 2002;109:1057-1063.
12 KALBITOR® (ecallantide) Full Prescribing Information, Dyax Corp., Burlington, Massachusetts, February 2012.
14 Moreau M, Garbacki N, Molinaro G, et al. The kallikrein-kinin system: Current and future pharmacological targets. J Pharmacol Sc. 2005;99:6-38.
15 Nzeako U, Frigas E, Tremaine W. Hereditary angioedema: A broad review for clinicians. Arch Intern Med. 2001;161:2417-2429.

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Please make sure to read
Important Safety
Information for KALBITOR.

SAFETY INFORMATION

Watch "How Attacks Happen," a brief overview of the pathophysiology of acute HAE attacks.

PLAY VIDEO

Watch "Living with Hereditary Angioedema" to hear an HAE patient describe what it is like living with the disease every day.

PLAY VIDEO
 
 
 
KALBITOR subcutaneous injection is indicated for treatment of acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in patients 16 years of age and older.
Important Safety Information EXPAND ›

WARNING: Anaphylaxis

  • Anaphylaxis has been reported after administration of KALBITOR.
  • Because of the risk of anaphylaxis, KALBITOR should only be administered by a healthcare professional with appropriate medical support to manage anaphylaxis and hereditary angioedema.
  • Healthcare professionals should be aware of the similarity of symptoms between hypersensitivity reactions and hereditary angioedema and patients should be monitored closely.
  • Do not administer KALBITOR to patients with known clinical hypersensitivity to KALBITOR.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Do not administer KALBITOR to a patient who has known clinical hypersensitivity to KALBITOR.

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

In 255 HAE patients treated with intravenous or subcutaneous KALBITOR in clinical trials, 10 patients (3.9%) experienced anaphylaxis. For the subgroup of 187 patients treated with subcutaneous KALBITOR, 5 patients (2.7%) experienced anaphylaxis. These reactions occurred within the first hour after dosing.

Symptoms associated with these reactions have included chest discomfort, flushing, pharyngeal edema, pruritus, rhinorrhea, sneezing, nasal congestion, throat irritation, urticaria, wheezing, and hypotension.

Patients should be observed for an appropriate period of time after administration of KALBITOR, taking into account the time to onset of anaphylaxis seen in clinical trials. Given the similarity in hypersensitivity symptoms and acute HAE symptoms, patients should be monitored closely in the event of hypersensitivity reaction.

ADVERSE EVENTS

The most common adverse events (≥3% and greater than placebo) in HAE patients were headache, nausea, diarrhea, pyrexia, injection site reactions, and nasopharyngitis. There is a potential for immunogenicity with the use of KALBITOR. Patients who seroconvert may be at a higher risk of hypersensitivity reaction. The long-term effects of antibodies to KALBITOR are not known.

USAGE

KALBITOR should only be administered by a healthcare professional with appropriate medical support to manage anaphylaxis and hereditary angioedema. Safety and effectiveness of KALBITOR in patients below 16 years of age have not been established.

Please see Full Prescribing Information, including Boxed Warning and Medication Guide.

Healthcare professionals should report all suspected adverse events associated with the use of KALBITOR. Please contact Dyax Corp. at 1-888-452-5248. Alternatively, this information may be reported to the FDA MedWatch System by phone at 1-800-FDA-1088 or by mail using Form 3500 at www.fda.gov/medwatch.